THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Powered by Castpost
Before I tell about the banquet, I want to explain the video I did for the evening. SCUM's neighborhood is one of those corners of the world everyone would just as soon overlook. It's on the main drag out of town, but most drivers keep their eyes on the tail lights in front of them and try not to hit any red lights. But not SCUM. This place is their Jerusalem- the place where they're called to be His witnesses. The video's really just a glorified drive around the neighborhood and a reminder to pray for the ministry.

Now, to the banquet. For a bunch of folks who've done their share of living on the streets, think a black tee shirt is considered "formal wear" and who are more likely to decorate their arms than their tables, the banquet was nothing short of amazing.

The church mobilized and transformed a dull hall into a four-star restaurant. The tables were filled with flowers and candles. The meal was exquisite. (In fact the food vendors donated enough food to treat our homeless friends to the same banquet Sunday evening before service that the guest enjoyed at the banquet!)

The guests came and together with the folks from SCUM there were about 200 people there. Mike Sares, the pastor, introduced two folks from SCUM to share their experiences and what God had done through the church. One was a member of Five Iron Frenzy, the band whose Bible study group transformed itself into what we call Scum of the Earth.

The other was a man whose life was transformed by God through the acceptance he felt at the church and the gentle, non-condemning way he was led to trust Christ with his life.

On that night, $15,000 was donated toward a ministry center for SCUM to meet. The estimated cost of a place to renovate, complete with renovation costs is more like $2.5 million. But like Tim, the administrative pastor for SCUM said, it doesn't matter whether the cost will be 2.5 or 250 million. Both are impossible unless God is in the project and makes it happen.

And so we keep trusting.

Thanks for praying.